The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-31
AUNT POLLY'S CAR RIDE.
Her Ready Response to the Call
OF Duty.

The town Of Franklin, like many other
little towns, had never been disturbed by
the sound of a steam whistle or the rattle
of a railroad train. The heavy rumble of
the stage-coach, as it regularly came in at
night, was excitement enough for the quiet
taste of the villagers. The sound of its
wheels as it approached seemed to be heard
by nearly every person, and when it drew
up in front OF the post-ofice, the streets
which had been almost wholly deserted
during the day were crowded with an eager
and interested throng. If no passengers
were seen to alight from the carriage
which was usually the case, the crowd
would turn disappointedly away, or wait
for the mail to be distributed and then, in
half an hour, all would be quiet again.
among those VINO, on these occasions,
gathered at the door of what served the viii
lage as a general depot might usually be
seen the sprightly form of an elderly lady,
who, advancing wi h a somewhat timid
step, would peer over the tops of her spec
taCles with peculiarly amusing express
sion Of curiosity. This, as all the villagers
very well knew, was none other than Aunt
Polly. Her only home was with her sister
Susan, and her. chief iiJHttfeEeSts were fol-. her
sisted in starching the linen, mending the
SioblICS dull ldhlllS care u Utlt klUCneu. NO
one was allowed to wash the dishes and
clean the silver but Aunt Polly. She was
scrupulously neat and tidy wherever she
had sway, and woe to the fly or other in
sect which might by any possibility be
lured within her domains; for, should such
an intruder attempt to settle where her
eye could see and her hand could reach
slap would descend her instrument of
death with almost fatal results
But though she was strict and scrupulous
in the performance of these self-imposed
duties in her sisters home, Aunt Polly
seemed to belong to the whole neighbor-
hood. II any one should be taken seriously
ill, Aunt Polly was soon at the sufferers
side. If an accident occurred to man.
woman or child, from some unknown
source, Aunt Polly would bring forth cor
Gials and liniments and bandages, and ap-
ply with her own hands, if possible, the re-
storatives needed. And so Aunt Polly was
everyboSy's friend, and, while some might
smile at her oddities, all treated her with
peculiar consideration.
Although rapidly nearing the Scripture
limit of three score years and ten, Aunt
Polly had never seen the cars. Indeed, it
had been a long time since she had seen
any thing outside of Franklin. For over
thirty years she had stayed at home, done
the housework, and, when Susan was away,
looked after things in general She never
went anywhere and never expected to go,
expect, perhaps to spend an afternoon &C.
casionally with some neighboring friend.
She could never understand ''why folks
should want to be all the time cantin' about,
weariu' out their lives, and reskin' their
necks on the railroads" She had one
hrn NJ
in the city, and who every summer visited
his sister in Franklin. Though often and
urgently invited to return with him to his
home, Aunt Polly could never be persuaded
to CO. partly because she disliked travelling
and partly because of her dread of the cars
One day, however, a note was received
containing information which seemed TO
make it necessary to put all considerations
of personal preference aside. The note
read as follows:
''Polly and Susan are needed at once. We
expect TO lose our daughter Grace. We want
you both to be here. Come tomorrow, if pos
sible HENRY"
THE poor gal is sickm exclaimed Aunt
Polly; "and can see by this letter that
heRrV's folks are dretful scarf"
But what could be done' 1t so happened
shat Susan and her family were away, and
would not return for a week. Aunt Polly
was left in charge OF the premises and a
neighbor had been engaged to stay with her
part of the time to keep her company.
For an old lady to think OF starting for the
city entirely alone seemed perfect madness.
To fuse to respond to brothers. entreat-
les at such time was certainly cruel. 1t
was surely veXing question; but the only
solution seemed to be to get somebody to
write letter (for Aunt Polly had long been
out OF practice with pen), and then leave
the ''poor grip to her fate. Forum ately
however, Aunt Polly was a conscientious
SOUL and it had long been her rule never to
neglect plain and unmis taxable duty, how
ever unpleasant its performance might be.
She had become much attached to her
pretty niece during the young lady's visit
i'll the country, about two years previous,
and the thought that she was very i'll and
possibly dying touched her heart and
reused her courage Moreover, she felt
perfectly confident that a quantity of roots
and herbs properly compounded and judi
ciously administered, would be more effica-
cious than all the medical skill the city
could produce.